Change suggested in library board election process

The City Council committee will consider seeking changes in the way people are elected to Worcester Public Library board of directors.

The six-year terms of the 12 members of the library board are staggered so there are two openings every Jan. 1. In advance of that, the City Council elects two members to the board each December, usually during its first meeting of the month.

But Councilor-at-Large Konstantina B. Lukes said the current process gives city councilors little ability to interact with any of the candidates except for a brief reception that is held for them at City Hall the night the council is to elect two new members to the library board.

She said many applicants are not aware that they have to lobby just about every member of the council to get enough votes.

As a result, she said, the current process tends to give an advantage to those who are politically connected people and turns off those who aren't.

She said that is underscored by the fact that people who do not win election to the library board seldom make another bid for it in subsequent years.

“I think this is long overdue,” Mrs. Lukes said last night. “We should have a process for citizens applying for appointment to the library board that is more transparent than what we have now.”

As a suggestion, Mrs. Lukes said the council's Municipal Operations Committee could review all the applications for the positions, interview candidates and make recommendations to the entire council — the same process the committee is using to hire a new city auditor.

The City Council is already receiving letters of intent and resumes from people interested in serving on the library board.

The deadline to apply for the positions is noon Nov. 30, and the council had planned on holding its election for the library board at its meeting Dec. 4.

But the date of the election could be in limbo.

The council referred Mrs. Lukes' proposal to its Rules and Legislative Affairs Committee.

District 3 Councilor George J. Russell, committee chairman, promised to hold a committee hearing in a timely manner said the proposal could be taken up by the entire council before new members are elected to the library board.